staying fit when there’s no time to stay fit

Posted On: January 21st, 2016

Staying fit during the semester can be challenging. You’ve got all these assignments to do, classes to attend, food to cook each day, exams to study for, group work to coordinate, maybe even a part-time job, and everything else under the sun! It’s easy to fall into the mindset of not having enough time to get down to the gym and get that long workout in. But ask yourself what’s the next best thing that you can do? If you have 30 minutes, that’s still more than enough time to get a solid workout in. Even if you only have 10 minutes, there are workouts out there that can really pack a punch for that short a period of time.

Think of it like you’re sitting in one of your exams and you’re under prepared. You’re looking at all the questions during that reading period and you’re thinking “man I wish I studied more…even if I only set aside 20 minutes each day I’d be much further than I am now”. Pretty much, if doing everything is too overwhelming or most likely not going to happen, just do the next best thing. Those small steps forward are going to be much more beneficial than not acting at all.

Below are some youtube workouts you can use as a guide. Taking the thinking out of what you’re going to do in your workout can be a massive time-saver! Best part is that these are all bodyweight workouts so you don’t need any fancy equipment or machines for them 🙂 Though, I do recommend a yoga mat just for comfort but it’s not essential (you can pick up one of these bad boys for about $4 from Kmart). Also, download the Gymboss app for a free interval workout timer that can be customised (it’s available on both Apple and Android).

I think it’s near impossible to stay consistently motivated. So what you can always rely on is discipline. Doing what you know you have to even when you don’t feel like it. For those times you’re feeling good and keen for that workout, go for it! For all those other times, it’s just like studying – it’s not fun but just do it and it will pay dividends over time!